This page last updated on 30 May 2010

If you have recently bought your vehicle and are unsure about its service history or are thinking about it's annual service, then this page tells you the type of things that are done to your vehicle.

Your air-cooled Volkswagen needs regular maintenance, whether you do this work yourself or employ a garage like us to carry out this work for you, these are the jobs that need doing.

The oil in your Volkswagen should be changed every 3,000 miles, most engines only have 2.5 litres in them which is not a large amount and it's crucial that it's changed at regular intervals as it not only lubricates it also cools your engine down. This is why you must never drive with a broken fan belt, as the fan-belt turns the pulley connected to the fan inside the fan shroud, blowing air over and through the oil cooler and cooling fins on the cylinder heads and cylinders, if this breaks or is too loose then the fan won't blow.

A full service consists of:

Check lights, replace any bulbs that are not working. Check the wiper blades, lubricate the wiper spindles, top-up the washer bottle and pressurise. Lubricate door latches, lock and hinges.

Check tyres, tyre-walls, treads and pressures, including the spare tyre and adjust as required.

Check brakes, remove the drums, check the linings, remove disc pads and check, clean and lubricate moving items and retaining parts, rebuild and adjust. Replace worn parts as required.

Check the brake fluid level.

Repack front wheel-bearings with grease, adjust as required.

Lubricate front axle grease points, check ball-joints and steering joints for wear. Lubricate all moving parts under vehicle.

Check clutch free-play, adjust as necessary.

Drain engine oil, clean or change filter screen, replace oil filter, refill with required amount of oil.

Remove rocker covers, check adjustment of valves (tappets), re-fit covers using new cork gaskets.

Replace spark plugs, ignition points and Condensor. Adjust as required.

Check plug leads, rotor arm and distributor cap for damage, replace as required.

Check the fan-belt for wear/damage, replace/adjust the fan-belt tension as required

Check the battery electrolyte level, ensure charging system is working correctly.

Replace paper type air filter or renew oil in oil-bath air filter. Clean breather pipes.

Check the steering box free-play, adjust as required.

Check and top up the gearbox and steering box with correct grade oils.

Check the thermostat (if fitted) is working and that the cooling flaps are in good working order.

Check the condition of the exhaust and heating system.

Visually check the vehicle condition, note any possible future problems.

Check and adjust as required the exhaust emissions.

Please note, not all of the above service checks are required on all vehicles.

To be continued....